1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closed, sterile packaging system which permits air testing of the opening and closing pressures of valves of a hydrocephalus shunt received within a package while maintaining sterility of the shunt. More particularly, the invention relates to a packaging system wherein access to the shunt valves to be tested is provided by means of an air feedthrough connector having a bacteriostatic filter therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
,According to present day practices, hydrocephalus shunts are sterilized after packaging. In order to locate a shunt having valve opening and closing pressure parameters required by a specific patient, the pressures required to open and close the valves of the shunt must be ascertained prior to implantation of the shunt. Typically, to test the pressures required to open and close the valves of the shunt, the packaging must be opened, with the sterility of the shunt being destroyed. Further, if a chosen shunt does not meet the required pressure parameters, further package shunts are opened and tested until one with appropriate valve opening and closing pressure parameters is located.
This method of pressure testing of the shunt valves necessitates resterilization of shunts which are tested but not utilized due to inappropropriate pressure parameters.
By the provision of the packaging system and sterile air feedthrough connector of the present invention, the need for resterilization after testing is eliminated as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
A packaging system which provides an electrical feedthrough connection to the interior of a "blister pack" package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,732.